Oral drug proves highly effective against chemotherapy-related low platelets in GI cancer trial

An oral medication already approved for thrombocytopenia in patients with liver disease significantly improved platelet recovery and helped patients with gastrointestinal cancers maintain platelet counts needed to continue chemotherapy as scheduled, according to results from a Phase II clinical trial led by researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Mass General Hospital.